


after everything i've done (you were good to me)

by cloudnine9



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) Season 5 Spoilers, it takes place after s5 ends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:13:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24839740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudnine9/pseuds/cloudnine9
Summary: Catra struggles with her inner demons after she notices the scars on Adora's back she'd left in the Battle of Brightmoon.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 122





	after everything i've done (you were good to me)

Adora’s lying next to her with her back against Catra’s bare chest, and Catra gazes at her girlfriend silently, the faint light from the moons filtering in and painting the skin on her back in a splash of pale moonlight. Adora’s a little sleepy— not asleep yet, because her breaths are still a little too fast for her to be asleep. Trailing a hand down the smooth skin of Adora’s back, Catra’s breath hitches, gets caught in her throat, when the scars on Adora’s back catches her eyes. Ten long scars running on her back, pink and jagged, an ugly, jarring contrast to the pale milky softness of her skin.

The Battle of Brightmoon.

Her claws raking down Adora’s back, digging in with all of the hatred and pain Catra had left to fester inside her. The intent to hurt Adora, to show her how much she’d hurt Catra when she left. She unsheathes her claws, breathing out shakily.

She did that.

She’d hurt Adora, and she’d wanted to hurt Adora. She remembers it, clear as day, the roiling anger and hurt and pain in her heart, the nights she’d spend screaming and crying into her pillow in the Fright Zone, tortured by her own emotions. The bitter anger that she’d used to lash out at everyone she loved. Including Adora.

Especially, Adora.

“...Catra?” Adora’s voice is soft, sleepy, confused. Catra’s eyes snap to her girlfriend and she retracts her claws. It only takes a moment for Adora to realize something is wrong, because she’s turned to face Catra now, an arm propped to support herself as she hovers over Catra, a worried look in her eyes as her gaze meets her girlfriend’s searchingly.

“What’s wrong?” She asks gently, and Catra has to force herself to hold back a sob.

“I’m sorry,” She chokes out, and Adora’s eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“Sorry for what?”

Catra doesn’t answer, her arms crossed in front of herself, claws digging in sharply at her own arms.

It stings.

_I deserve it._

The guilt and regret presses down on her chest, and it’s hard to breathe. Her breaths are coming out in ragged gasps, tears streaming down her face despite her best efforts. She hates it. Hates crying in front of Adora.

Hates knowing that she makes Adora worry, even after all the pain and misery she’d brought upon them. A pair of hands touch Catra’s gently, and Catra jolts, fights the urge to tear herself away and run.

No. She was done with running.

“Catra, it’s okay.” Adora removes Catra’s hands from their grip on her arms, running a thumb across them, and Catra shudders.

“No, it’s not! I hurt you.” Catra’s voice grows smaller, and Adora cups her cheek, tilting her head.

“Hey, look at me.” Adora says softly, and Catra blinks, Adora’s face blurry through her tears. Gentle thumbs swipe at her cheeks, brushing the tears away. Catra sniffs, her gut wrenching horribly. This isn’t right.

Why is Adora so nice to her?

“Catra, it’s okay. That’s in the past. We promised we’ll work this through together.”

Why does Adora love her?

“I hurt you.”

Why isn’t Adora running from her?

“And so did I. We both made mistakes, Catra. It’s how we move forward that counts.”

The scars prove her wrong. They’d stay there, for as long as Adora existed.

An ugly reminder of what Catra had done.

“I’ve forgiven you for that, Catra, and I love you no matter what.”

A brief silence.

“You’re such an idiot.” Catra finally says, but it falls flat. She sounds utterly miserable.

“Yeah, I know.” Adora smiles a little, and Catra lets herself be pulled into a hug, resting her face the crook of Adora’s neck, Adora’s arms wound around her body, strong but gentle. Her heartbeat thumps steadily, and the roaring of ugly thoughts in Catra’s head quietens, at least for now.

“I’m trying.” Catra says after a while, barely audible.

“Forgiving myself, I mean.” She adds, before continuing. “Perfuma’s been helping me.”

Adora smiles, and Catra can’t tamp down the surge of warmth in her chest. Forces to let herself feel it. Almost believes she deserves this.

“And I’m proud of you.” Adora murmurs softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

**Author's Note:**

> i fell in love so hard and so fast with this show it's actually insane, and it brought me out of my 1.5 years of hibernation from writing. i actually intended to write fluff but it became a short oneshot hurt/comfort, oh well.


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